Auburn Hills, Michigan – German automotive parts supplier Continental has begun production of a turbocharger with an aluminum turbine housing. Integration of the unit in the three-cylinder, 1.5L gasoline engine for the Mini Hatch has already begun.
“Aluminum in a turbocharger designed for cars is a real milestone,” says Wolfgang Breuer, head of the Engine Systems Business Unit of the Powertrain Division. “With this lightweight material, we are saving nearly 30% of weight compared to a conventional turbocharger while simultaneously reducing costs and achieving system benefits.”
Udo Schwerdel, head of the turbocharger product line says Continental worked with Mini owner BMW to design the new part. “It was developed from being a typical add-on component to an integral part of the engine. In order to meet the requirements placed on the unit and its integration in the cylinder head, we worked closely with the BMW Group starting from the simulation phase – an indication of trust that we greatly appreciate.”
In addition to weighing less, the aluminum housing has better thermal management. Full-load operation can be enough to make common turbochargers with steel housings glow red.
“The double-walled aluminum housing surrounds the hottest area with a cooling water jacket,” says Schwerdel. “Significantly less effort is required to protect neighboring components from the heat, (and) cooling of the exhaust flow reduces the thermal load on the catalytic converter, meaning it hardly ages at all.”
In the Mini, 2.65 lb were saved per aluminum turbocharger. Since reduced weight also means reduced fuel consumption, the lightweight material supports the fuel consumption and emission targets of the automotive industry.
Source: Continental